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Author Topic: 20 gauge smoothbore by Dave Dolliver  (Read 4389 times)

Offline runastav

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20 gauge smoothbore by Dave Dolliver
« on: February 11, 2014, 10:55:47 PM »
Hi all!
In Muzzleloader November/December 2008  this interesting gun with wooden underrib made by Dave Dolliver. Anyone can tell me more about this gun? Photos?
Runar
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Offline gunmaker

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Re: 20 gauge smoothbore by Dave Dolliver
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2014, 11:10:36 PM »
Daves a member here, give him a shout.
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Offline T*O*F

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Re: 20 gauge smoothbore by Dave Dolliver
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2014, 12:39:59 AM »
Runar,
Here are some photos of an original wood rib smoothbore.


















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Offline Dan'l 1946

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Re: 20 gauge smoothbore by Dave Dolliver
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2014, 04:12:37 AM »
  You see wooden under-ribs quite often on New England guns, both rifled and smooth bored.
                      Dan
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Offline runastav

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Re: 20 gauge smoothbore by Dave Dolliver
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2014, 09:55:34 AM »
Hi, and thank you all for information and TOF  for photos :) Why  did  they use wooden rib  cheaper?

Runar
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Offline Habu

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Re: 20 gauge smoothbore by Dave Dolliver
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2014, 10:50:40 PM »
Wood ribs cost less, and were more available--if you can stock a rifle, you can make a wood rib.  Metal ribs either had to be forged and filed out, or purchased. 
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Offline northup87

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Re: 20 gauge smoothbore by Dave Dolliver
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2014, 12:25:56 AM »
The benefit of forward weight reduction was probably figured in too.
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A.J. Downey

Dave Dolliver

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Re: 20 gauge smoothbore by Dave Dolliver
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2014, 07:52:39 AM »
I suppose I should chime in here with a few details.

About 1992 I was asked to do a project that had been planned between 2 fellow club members when 1 of them (the builder) passed  away.  It was to be a "New England buck and ball gun with a wood rib".  That was all of the instruction!!  Most of the parts had been gathered but no work had been done.  At that time I could find no pictures of such a gun tho'  Lindsay's "New England Gun" did mention a "wood rib" on one of his fowler examples but no full length pictures.

I have since made 3 more, 1 for myself.  We have many Trade Gun shooters in this area thanks to Mike Nesbitt's pushing the subject and these fowlers satisfy the NMLRA Trade Gun rules and for me are much more comfortable to shoot.  I have used only 20 ga barrels so far; all 36" long and octagon to round and tapered.  Used Siler locks and fowler furniture. 

Lugs were soldered to the barrel to attach the wood rib with pins and the ram rod pipes were pinned to the rib.

I feel they're easier to swing to shoot at clay birds than longer barrels would be due to lighter weight and shorter length.

Dave Dolliver
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Offline runastav

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Re: 20 gauge smoothbore by Dave Dolliver
« Reply #8 on: February 16, 2014, 02:40:41 PM »
Hi, and thank you all!
Dave Dolliver do you have photos to deal with us?
Runar
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Dave Dolliver

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Re: 20 gauge smoothbore by Dave Dolliver
« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2014, 04:05:05 PM »
Nope, no photo capability.  I just made a half stock fowler type that locks like any you might take out of "Flintlock Fowlers" but with a wood rib.

Dave Dolliver
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